Multiple bottle gripper

ABSTRACT

Multiple bottle gripper in which a plurality of gripper bells or lifting cups are supported on support means in a plurality of transverse rows and in each row spaced from each other so as to be also arranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows and in which adjusting means are provided for adjusting the position of the gripper bells relative to each other in the direction of the transverse rows and in a direction normal thereto.

United States Patent [191 Hahn [ 1 Aug. 21, 1973 MULTIPLE BOTTLE GRIPPER75 Inventor: Winfrled Hahn, Dortmund-Brackel,

Germany [73] Assignees Holstein & Kappert Maschinenfabrick Phonix GmbH,Dortmund, Germany [22] Filed: Feb. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 229,791

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb, 26, 1971 Germany P 21 09172.5

[52] 11.8. Cl.. 294/87 R [51] Int. Cl. B65g 47/26 [58] Field of Search294/63 R, 64 R, 65, 294/87 R, 87 A, 87, 2, 90; 214/1 BS, 1 ET, 1 BH [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,506,140 4/1970 Koch et a1.294/87 A X 1,110,409 9/1914 Sutherland 294/65 2,903,290 9/1959 Morris etal. 3,542,412 11/1970 Koch et a1. 294/65 Primary Examiner-Evon C. BlunkAssistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney-Michael S. Striker [5 7]ABSTRACT Multiple bottle gripper in which a plurality of gripper bellsor lifting cups are supported on support means in a plurality oftransverse rows and in each row spaced from each other so as to be alsoarranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows and in which adjustingmeans are provided for adjusting the position of the gripper bellsrelative to each other in the direction of the transverse rows and in adirection normal thereto.

22 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 I5 Sheets-Sheet lPatented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,589

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

54/ 8 L\1 I 'r\\ 1 I N1 -2 /Il FM H A ll Fig. 3

Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,589

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 4

Fig. 5

MULTIPLE BOTTLE GRIPPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to a multiple bottle gripper in which a plurality ofgripper bells or lifting cups are arranged spaced from each other on agripper head in a plurality of transverse rows preferably extendingsubstantially normal to a center line of the gripper head and in eachrow spaced from each other so as to be also arranged in a plurality oflongitudinal rows substantially parallel to this center line. Suchmultiple gripper heads are known in the art and may for instancecomprise a metal plate provided with a plurality of openings arranged inthe plate according to the desired pattern of the gripper bells and inwhich the individual gripper bells are fastened in the openings providedin the plate.

Quite often it is, however, desired to change the arrangement of thegripper bells with respect to each other, for instance, to change thedistance of the transverse rows from each other or the spacing of thegripper bells in each row and in such an event it is necessary withmultiple bottle grippers known in the art to exchange the whole bottlegripper against another bottle gripper in which the openings in theplate are arranged in the difi'erent desired manner. This required theprovision of a plurality of bottle grippers each constructed with thedesired arrangement of the gripper bells thereon and exchange of onebottle gripper for another one in the apparatus in which such multiplebottle grippers have been used. This solution has evidently considerabledisadvantages, especially if the apparatus in which the multiple bottlegripper has been used required quite often a different arrangement ofthe individual gripper bells on the gripper head, since in this case agreat number of multiple bottle grippers had to be provided while theexchange of one multiple bottle gripper for another one caused also aconsiderable loss of time in which the machine using the multiple bottlegripper had to be stopped during such exchange of one against anotherbottle gripper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toovercome the above-mentioned disadvantages of multiple bottle grippersknown in the art.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multiplebottle gripper provided with a plurality of gripper bells in which theposition of the gripper bells with respect to each other may be changedwithout requiring exchange of one multiple bottle gripper for anotherone.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multiplebottle gripper in which a plurality of gripper bells are arranged in aplurality of transverse rows in each row spaced from each other so as bealso arranged in a plurality for longitudinal rows and in which theposition of the gripper bells with respect to each other may be quicklychanged.

With these and other objects in view, the multiple bottle gripperaccording to the present invention basically comprises a plurality ofgripper bells, support means supporting the plurality of gripper bellsin a plurality of transverse rows which extends in a first direction andwhich are spaced in a second direction from each other and in which thebells in each row are arranged spaced from each other in the firstdirection so as to be also arranged in a plurality of longitudinal rowsextending in said second direction and adjusting means for adjusting theposition of the bells relative to each other in said first and seconddirection while maintaining the arrangement of the bells in a pluralityof transverse rows.

The support means may comprise a mounting plate member and a pluralityof first guide means for the gripper bells arranged in accordance withsaid plurality of longitudinal and transverse rows, whereas theadjusting means may comprise at least two slide members extending in thefirst direction adjacent to the mounting plate member, a plurality ofsecond guide means for the gripper bells on the slide members arrangedin accordance with said longitudinal rows, and means mounting themembers movable relative to each other in said second direction. Theplurality of first guide means respectively extend inclined at an anglerelative to the plurality of second guide means and partly overlap thelatter.

In such an arrangement it is possible to quickly change the position ofthe gripper bells with respect to each other by moving the slide membersrelative to the plate or the latter relative to the slide members insaid second direction without the necessity of exchanging the multiplebottle gripper and without the necessity of stopping the machine inwhich the multiple bottle gripper is used for an extended time duringchange of the position of the gripper bells of the bottle gripper.

In a preferred arrangement, the plurality of first guide means may beconstituted by a plurality of elongated slots formed in the mountingplate member and, likewise, the plurality of second guide means may beconstituted by slots formed in the respective slide members and whereineach of the gripper bells has a mounting shaft which extends through theoverlapping portions of the aforementioned slots.

Preferably, the slots in the mounting plate member are arranged in sucha manner that continuations of the center lines of each slot passthrough the center point of the mounting plate, that is the point of theplate in which the longitudinal center line and the transverse centerline thereof intersect. It is further advantageous to maintain themounting plate stationarily and to mount the slide members on guidemeans located laterally to opposite side of the plate and extendingsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the plate.

Preferably, the mounting shaft for each of the gripper bells has a pairof square portions respectively located in and guided by theaforementioned slots formed in the mounting plate member and in each ofthe slide members and such square portions of the shaft are preferablyangularly offset with respect to each other and tumable about the shaftaxis.

The novel features which are considered are characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the multiplebottle gripper according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross section through FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 turnedthrough 90 with respect to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-section, drawn to a smaller scale,through slightly modified arrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing,and especially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the same, it will be seen that themultiple bottle gripper according to the present invention mainlycomprises a mounting plate member I which may have, as shown in FIG. 1,a rectangular configuration and in which a plurality of elongated slots6 are provided. The slots 6 are arranged in a plurality of rowsextending transverse to the center line 8 of the plate and in each rowthe slots are preferably arranged, as shown in FIG. 1, symmetically withrespect to the center line. As clearly shown in FIG. 1 the center linesof each slot 6 are arranged in such a manner that continuation of thesecenter lines will meet at the center point 7 of the mounting platemember 1. As is further evident from FIG. 1 the projections of thelengths of the slots in each transverse row onto the center line 8 oronto a longitudinal edge of plate 1 are substantially equal.

Fixedly connected in any convenient manner to opposite ends 9 of themounting plate member 1 are a pair of brackets 10, which are providedlaterally of the plate 1 with upwardly extending projections, as bestshown in FIG. 2, and which are formed with bores extending parallel tothe center line 8 therethrough in which a pair of guide rods 11extending parallel to the center line 8 are located and which are heldin these bores by heads provided at opposite ends of the guide rods. Aplurality of slide members 12, one for each transverse row of slots 6 inthe mounting plate member are guided on the guide rods 11 for movementin longitudinal direction of the same. For this purpose, each of theguide members 12 is provided at opposite ends thereof with upwardlyprojecting blocks, as best shown in FIG. 2, formed with bores 13therethrough which slidingly receive the guide rods 11. Each of theslide members 12 is provided with a plurality of second guide meansshown in the drawing as elongated slots 14 which are preferably, asshown in FIG. 1, arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line8. The slots 14 are preferably arranged substantially normal to thecenter line. In the arrangement as shown in FIG. I, in which only threeslots are provided on each slide member 12, there is a short slot 14provided symetrically with respect to the center line and two longerslots to opposite sides of the center line and also symetricallyarranged with respect thereto. As further clearly shown in FIG. 1 theslots 6 in the plate member I partly overlap the slots 14 in therespective slide members.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the gripper bells or lifting cups 4 isprovided with an elongated mounting shaft projecting coaxially from theupper end of the respective bell through the overlapping portions of theslots 6 and 14, respectively. Thus, the bells 4 are arranged in aplurality of transverse rows 2 extending substantially normal to thecenter line 8, and the bells in the plurality of transverse rows 2 arearranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows 3 extending parallel to thecenter line 8. The number of slide members 12 will correspond to thenumbers of transverse rows 2 and the slots 14 in each guide member hasto correspond to the number of longitudinal rows 3.

As best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, each of the mounting shafts 5 isprovided in the region of the upper end thereof with a pair of squareportions 15 and 16 respectively slidingly arranged in the slots 6 and14. As clearly shown in FIG. 3 the square portions 15 and 16 areangularly displaced with respect to each other so as to properly fitinto the respective slots 6 and 14, which as mentioned before, areinclined at an angle with respect to each other. Instead of forming thesquare portions 15 and 16 integral with the remainder of the respectiveshaft 5, it is also possible, and actually preferred, to make thesesquare portions turnable about the shaft axis.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a holding member 17 is connected in anyconvenient manner to the upper end of each shaft 5 which holds thesquare portions 15 and 16 in the respective slots and which preventsalso axial movement of the gripper bell in downward direction. Theshafts 5 of the gripper bells are preferably made from elastic materialand a coil compression spring 18 surrounding each of the shafts appliesdownward pressure on the respective gripper bell while pressing theholding member 17 against the upper face of the mounting plate member I.

As evident from the above description, the position of the gripper bells4 in each row 2 may be changed by moving the slide member 12 of therespective row along the guide rods 11 relative to the mounting platemember during which movement the square portions 16 will move inlongitudinal direction of the slots 6 while the square portions 15 willmove in longitudinal direction of the slots 14 formed in the respectiveslide member so that the position of the gripper bells may for instancebe moved from the position shown in the uppermost row of FIG. 1 in fulllines to the positions shown in dash-dotted lines. In other words duringmovement of the uppermost slide member 12 shown in FIG. 1 in downwarddirection as viewed in this Figure, the gripper bells in the respectiverow 2 will move in longitudinal direction of the center line 8 and thegripper bells to opposite sides of the center line will at the same timemove towards the center line. It will be noted from FIG. 1 that duringsuch adjustment the gripper bells in each row will maintain theirsymmetrical arrangement with respect to the center line 8.

Each of the slide members 12 may be fixed in any adjusted position onthe rods 11 in any convenient manner, for instance by means of a setscrew 26 passing through a threaded bore in the upwardly projectingblock of the slide member and engaging the respective guide rod 11.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of the abovedescribed arrangement.FIG. 5 is, as mentioned above, a longitudinal cross section through thearrangement drawn to a smaller scale than the preceding Figures.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 5 there are pro vided different meansfor holding the slide members in a fixed position with respect to eachother. These means comprise a plate member 20 arranged parallel to themounting plate member 1 and provided at the bottom face thereof withdownwardly extending projections 21 fixed thereto in any convenientmanner which are arranged spaced from each other so as to engage theupwardly projecting blocks on opposite ends of the slide members 12. Theplate 29 is connected by screws or the like as schematically indicatedat 22 with the brackets 10. As further shown in FIG. 5 the plate 20 maybe provided at the upper face 23 thereof with two additional projections24 which are arranged spaced from each other such a distance to engagethe outer faces of the two outermost slide members 12 when the slidemembers are moved into engagement with each other. The slide members maythen be held in this adjusted position simply by reversing the plate 20.

It will be evident that with the above-described arrangements and withthe specific arrangement of the slots 6 and 14 the position of thegripper may be adjusted with respect to each other in such a manner thatthe gripper bells will be maintained in a plurality of transverse rowsextending transverse to the longitudinal center line 8 and in eachadjusted position the gripper bells will be maintained in eachtransverse row symmetrically with respect to the aforementioned centerline.

The specific construction of the gripper bells 4 itself does not formpart of the present invention and such gripper bells may be for instanceconstructed in the manner as disclosed in the US. Pat. No. 2,873,996 orin any other known manner.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofmultiple bottle grippers having a plurality of gripper bells in whichthe position of the gripper bells with respect to each other may beeasily adjusted, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in amultiple bottle gripper with a plurality of gripper bells arranged in aplurality of transverse rows extending transverse to a longitudinalcenter line of the arrangement and in each row symmetrically arrangedwith respect to the center line, and in which the position of thegripper bells with respect to each other may be easily and quicklychanged while maintaining the symmetrical arrangement with regard to thecenter line, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown,since various modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. A multiple bottle gripper comprising a plurality of gripper bells;support means supporting said plurality of gripper bells in a pluralityof transverse rows which extend in a first direction spaced from eachother in a second direction and in which the bells in said transverserows are arranged spaced from each other in said first direction so asto be also arranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows which extend insaid second direction; and adjusting means for adjusting the spacingbetween said transverse rows in said second direction and for adjustingthe position of the gripper bells in each of the transverse rowsrelative to each other in said first direction.

2. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 1, wherein said supportmeans comprises a mounting plate member and a plurality of first guidemeans for said gripper bells arranged on said mounting plate member inaccordance with said plurality of longitudinal and transverse rows, andwherein said adjusting means comprises at least two slide membersextending in said first direction adjacent to said mounting platemember, a plurality of second guide means for said gripper bells on saidslide members arranged thereon in accordance with said plurality oflongitudinal rows, and mounting means mounting said members movablerelative to each other in said second direction, said plurality of firstguide means respectively extending inclined at an angle relative to saidplurality of second guide means and partly overlapping the latter.

3. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein each of saidplurality of first guide means comprises an elongated slot formed insaid mounting plate member.

4. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 3, wherein saidmounting plate has a center point and wherein each of the slots in saidmounting plate member has a center line the continuation of which passesthrough said center point.

5. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 4, wherein said slotsin said mounting plate are arranged in a plurality of rows respectivelynormal to second direction and wherein the projections of the length ofthe slots in each row onto a line extending in said second direction aresubstantially equal.

6. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein each of saidplurality of second guide means comprises a slot formed in therespective slide member.

7. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein all of saidgripper bells are mounted in said first plurality of guide means on saidmounting plate member.

8. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 7, wherein a slidemember is provided for each of said transverse rows and wherein theguide means on each of the slide members mount only the gripper bells ofthe respective row.

9. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein saidmounting means for said slide members are located laterally of saidmounting plate member.

10. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, including means forfixing the position of said slide member relative to said mountingplate.

11. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein said meansfor mounting said slide members are fixedly connected to said mountingplate.

12. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein each ofsaid plurality of first guide means comprises an elongated slot formedin said mounting plate member and each of said plurality of second guidemeans comprises a slot formed in the respective slide member, whereineach of said gripper bells has a mounting shaft, and wherein themounting shafts of said bells extend respectively through said slots insaid mounting plate and through the slots in the respective slidemember.

13. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 12, wherein each ofsaid mounting shafts has a pair of square portions respectively locatedin the respective slots of said mounting plate and in the respectiveslot of one of said slide members.

14. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 13,

wherein said square shaft portions of each pair are angularly offsetwith respect to each other.

15. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 14, wherein saidsquare shaft portions on each shaft are aligned along the shaft axis andturnable about said axis with respect to each other and the remainder ofsaid shaft.

16. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 15, and including aholding member fixed to each shaft in the region of the free end thereoffor preventing movement of said square portions towards said free end.

17. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 16, including biasingmeans for urging said aquare portions on each shaft towards said holdingmember.

18. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 17, wherein each ofsaid biasing means comprises a coil spring about each shaft between saidsquare portions and the bell carried by the shaft.

19. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein saidmounting plate member has a center line extending normal to firstdirection, wherein said plurality of first guide means on said mountingplate member are arranged in each transverse row symmetrically withrespect to said center line, and wherein the plurality of second guidemeans on each slide member are also arranged symmetrically with respectto said center line.

20. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, and including stopmeans for fixing the position of said slide members relative to saidmounting plate member.

21. A multiple bottie gripper as defined in claim 20, and including aplate substantially parallel to said mounting plate and wherein saidstop means comprise a plurality of projections projecting spaced fromeach other from one side of said plate fixed thereto and engaging saidslide members.

22. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 21, wherein said plateis also provided with a second plurality of projections projecting fromthe other side thereof and being spaced from each other different thanthe projections projecting from said one side of said plate, said secondplurality of projections may be brought in engagement with said slidemembers upon reversal of said plate.

1. A multiple bottle gripper comprising a plurality of gripper bells;support means supporting said plurality of gripper bells in a pluralityof transverse rows which extend in a first direction spaced from eachother in a second direction and in which the bells in said transverserows are arranged spaced from each other in said first direction so asto be also arranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows which extend insaid second direction; and adjusting means for adjusting the spacingbetween said transverse rows in said second direction and for adjustingthe position of the gripper bells in each of the transverse rowsrelative to each other in said first direction.
 2. A multiple bottlegripper as defined in claim 1, wherein said support means comprises amounting plate member and a plurality of first guide means for saidgripper bells arranged on said mounting plate member in accordance withsaid plurality of longitudinal and transverse rows, and wherein saidadjusting means comprises at least two slide members extending in saidfirst direction adjacent to said mounting plate member, a plurality ofsecond guide means for said gripper bells on said slide members arrangedthereon in accordance with said plurality of longitudinal rows, andmounting means mounting said members movable relative to each other insaid second direction, said plurality of first guide means respectivelyextending inclined at an angle relative to said plurality of secondguide means and partly overlapping the latter.
 3. A multiple bottlegripper as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of firstguide means comprises an elongated slot formed in said mounting platemember.
 4. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 3, wherein saidmounting plate has a center point and wherein each of the slots in saidmounting plate member has a center line the continuation of which passesthrough said center point.
 5. A multiple bottle gripper as defined inclaim 4, wherein said slots in said mounting plate are arranged in aplurality of rows respectively normal to second direction and whereinthe projections of the length of the slots in each row onto a lineextending in said second direction are substantially equal.
 6. Amultiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein each of saidplurality of second guide means comprises a slot formed in therespective slide member.
 7. A multiple bottle gripper as defined inclaim 2, wherein all of said gripper bells are mounted in said firstplurality of guide means on said mounting plate member.
 8. A multiplebottle gripper as defined in claim 7, wherein a slide member is providedfor each of said transverse rows and wherein the guide means on each ofthe slide members mount only the gripper bells of the respective row. 9.A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2, wherein said mountingmeans for said slide members are located laterally of said mountingplate member.
 10. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 2,incLuding means for fixing the position of said slide member relative tosaid mounting plate.
 11. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim2, wherein said means for mounting said slide members are fixedlyconnected to said mounting plate.
 12. A multiple bottle gripper asdefined in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of first guide meanscomprises an elongated slot formed in said mounting plate member andeach of said plurality of second guide means comprises a slot formed inthe respective slide member, wherein each of said gripper bells has amounting shaft, and wherein the mounting shafts of said bells extendrespectively through said slots in said mounting plate and through theslots in the respective slide member.
 13. A multiple bottle gripper asdefined in claim 12, wherein each of said mounting shafts has a pair ofsquare portions respectively located in the respective slots of saidmounting plate and in the respective slot of one of said slide members.14. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 13, wherein saidsquare shaft portions of each pair are angularly offset with respect toeach other.
 15. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 14,wherein said square shaft portions on each shaft are aligned along theshaft axis and turnable about said axis with respect to each other andthe remainder of said shaft.
 16. A multiple bottle gripper as defined inclaim 15, and including a holding member fixed to each shaft in theregion of the free end thereof for preventing movement of said squareportions towards said free end.
 17. A multiple bottle gripper as definedin claim 16, including biasing means for urging said aquare portions oneach shaft towards said holding member.
 18. A multiple bottle gripper asdefined in claim 17, wherein each of said biasing means comprises a coilspring about each shaft between said square portions and the bellcarried by the shaft.
 19. A multiple bottle gripper as defined in claim2, wherein said mounting plate member has a center line extending normalto first direction, wherein said plurality of first guide means on saidmounting plate member are arranged in each transverse row symmetricallywith respect to said center line, and wherein the plurality of secondguide means on each slide member are also arranged symmetrically withrespect to said center line.
 20. A multiple bottle gripper as defined inclaim 2, and including stop means for fixing the position of said slidemembers relative to said mounting plate member.
 21. A multiple bottlegripper as defined in claim 20, and including a plate substantiallyparallel to said mounting plate and wherein said stop means comprise aplurality of projections projecting spaced from each other from one sideof said plate fixed thereto and engaging said slide members.
 22. Amultiple bottle gripper as defined in claim 21, wherein said plate isalso provided with a second plurality of projections projecting from theother side thereof and being spaced from each other different than theprojections projecting from said one side of said plate, said secondplurality of projections may be brought in engagement with said slidemembers upon reversal of said plate.